Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-13
HARMED HIS MODEL.
he Artist q Benedict for One Year
and Father for One Week.
lWorld.1


and "a Father for One week.
rworld.l
William NJ. Chase, the well-knOwn
painter, one of the founders of the So
cicty of American Artists, the proud
proprietor of the most gorgeous and
unique studio in New York, and the IN
innate friend OF Whistler, has an
nounced to his friends that he is mar
ned to Miss Ebony" Gerson, an ex-
,ecdingly pretty and vivacious young
woman, who for two or three years has
Eosed as his model.
The news travelled through the Tt
world with great rapidity yesterday, and
the studios, not only in the fenth-street
uilding where Mr.. Chase is located, but
also in the other stadio buildings about
town, fairly buzzcd with the surprise.
smong his friends Mr.. Chase was re-
pardcd as a bachelor of the most con-
filmed type. He was known to be man
Of peculiarly luxurious tastes and social
ambition. As TO Miss GersOn kind words
and generous praise were layished on
every hand, but the idea of painter
50 prominent as Chase marrying his
model startled the artistic fancy and
started myriad of conjectures. IL
was true that she had not been n model
Tor everybody. Mr.. Chase had been
orlunatc enough TO secure her servlc IS
when she first began to pose, and he
usa monopolized Her time ever since.
She is now about twenty years of age.
4 mysterious and interesting feature
# the case, and one which lent vitality
o the gossip and gaveit stronger wing.
than it otherwise would have had, WAS
hat Mr. Chase was able, at the same
time that he announced the fact of be-
No "a husband, to mention also that he
vl. q father. lie had been married a
wear ard there was a baby in the case.
Here was rare bit Of news for the
colony Of artists wives. No such SEN
saiion had varied the monotony OF
Academy exhibitions and Chickering-
Hall picture sales for many n long day.
Beyond the mere fact Of announcing
his new responsibilities, however, Mr..
Chase vouchsafed no information to his
closest friends.
Miss Antonio Gerson, now Mrs.
Chase, the artists bride, is a handsome
and spirited brunette of good family.
The figure piece in last summers loan
exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum
Of Art which is now at the American Art
Gallery is painted with her as a model.
1t pictures a young lady in corduroy
cloak and hat against peculiar blue
background, and is very effective. No
special attempt has been made to con
ccal the likeness, SO that the reproduc-
lion of Mrs. CEasc's features Is exceed
inglv faithful. Her figure is 1.-the and
well rounded, and altogether she hes
the quality attaching to lgo0d models,
which IS described among artists a.
paintab!c.
Her sister. Miss Virginia Gcrsou, is q
clever and intelligent girl, who made q
success not long ago with book IN the
Cnder-th Window Series, whereof
Iu.l .he illustrations and the letter
press we're of her own making. The
family, as the name indicates, is Ger
man.
William ". Chase is a handsome.
Wcll-formed man, Of something under
forty years of age, and belongs to what
IS known as the new school of American
art. which has done much TO reyolu-
tioni2e American painting during the
last decade. Chase studied in Munich,
and came back to America about ten
years ago. Shrlaw, Dillman, Weir,
and other well-known artists returned
about the same time. But Chase
WAS generally recognized as the bold
est. the most adventurous, and the most
progressive spirit among them. Some
six Years ago he established himself III
the biggest and best studios in the
lenth-street building. They are To-
Gated on the ground floor, and were be
fore that occupied by Albert Bierstadt
One of the studios was an immense ex-
hibition-rOom. Here he hung his pic
lures and located his pupils. He has
had as many as n dozen pupils at =
time, and his tuition-fees are under
stood TO be 81 200 q season. In fitting
up his roomshe spared no expense. His
passion for color is unquenchoble, and
lie has filled his walls and his floors with
haugings, scarfs, cloths, silks. tapestries,
and bric-a-hrac Of all kinds. He has
educated himself in this direction unin-
termittontly, and painters unite in say
ing that he has achieved harmonies OF
color which set all theories mt nauSht
Inthe summer of 1885 Mr.. Chase went
to England and spent two or three
months az Whistler's house. While he
was there the artists amused themselves
painting each others portraits. Chase's
picture Of Whistler has been exhibited
nj private views and has been declared
to bc a very Characteristic piece OF
work.
Artists marrying their models is a
subject which seems 10 capture the
fancy of the novel-writer, but has, so
far as New York experience goes, been
illustrated very infrequently in real life.
Mr.. Frcer married his model last sum
mer, a very handsome and worthy
Young lady named keenan,. The en-
eagement was duly announced, ~
during the year preceding the marriage
Nf;es Keenan, Of cOnrsp. posed for no